While we were living in Germany, we had the unforgettable experience of visiting the medieval city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the area of Bavaria in Germany. It was almost Christmas and while Richard and I were walking down the cobbled streets, fluffy snowflakes began to fall. It was enchanting!
The snow began to mount up on our coats faster than we could dust it off, and we stepped down some stone steps into a little shop that was filled with a huge selection of nativities, stable animals…cattle, donkey, and sheep, and figurines of wisemen, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus.
We had been searching for a manger scene for our home and this little shop in Bavaria seemed like the most idyllic and storybook place to find one. Richard and I walked up and down the aisles and finally selected a stable and the most realistic figurines made by an Italian carver, Fontanini.
Since that magical Christmas, I’ve set up that same nativity we bought in Rothenburg for the last 42 years…as I unwrap all the figurines and place Baby Jesus in the manger, I think of that little town of Bethlehem and remember a song from a Children’s musical titled “How Far is it to Bethlehem?”
In the musical, the children are in the city of Jerusalem and ask, “How far is it to Bethlehem?”
The distance between Jerusalem and Bethlehem is not very far, only 5.6 miles or 9 kilometers…and as the words in the musical say, “an easy journey at that. No rough grounds to cross, no dangerous winding roads to travel through, yet for some of them this short journey might be the hardest part of all.”
The “hard” part of this journey, referred to in the play, is the metaphorical part of the journey…the journey of the heart. In each person’s heart we must make the journey to Bethlehem to see the little Child, Jesus, and choose whether we are going to trust and believe that He is Christ the Lord. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Don’t let another Christmas season pass without making the “heart” journey to Bethlehem to seek Jesus! He was born in a manger over 2,000 years ago for you, and for me to give us the most amazing gift of all, eternal life…for ANYONE who believes in Him.
How far is it to Bethlehem? Not very far! Jesus is only a whisper and prayer away. Click here for the song “How Far is it to Bethlehem?”
Please write me in the comment section if you have any questions or you would like me to pray with you about anything.
From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda
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Beautiful. I’ve never heard that song, but it’s so true.
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It is such a beautiful song. I’d never heard it before I selected that play for our Children’s musical one Christmas…now, the sweet melody and the haunting words to “How Far is it to Bethlehem?” make it one my favorite Christmas songs.
I included the link of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and orchestra playing this song for everyone to enjoy, at the bottom of my post. ❤
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